High Accuracy GPS Performance using a Digital Adaptive Antenna Array

Alison Brown

Abstract:	NAVSYS' High-gain Advanced GPS Receiver (HAGR) has been designed to take advantage of digital adaptive antenna array spatial-processing to enhance the accuracy of the GPS observations. The HAGR has the capability to create an optimized digital antenna pattern for up to eight GPS satellites simultaneously. This is used to perform dynamic beam-forming to the GPS satellites, in both static and mobile environments, providing over 10 dB of additional signal gain on each satellite tracked. The additional gain reduces the receiver noise on both the code and carrier tracking loops. This paper includes test results comparing the performance of the HAGR phased array antenna versus two conventional surveying GPS antennas. NAVSYS have also developed an adaptive spatial processing algorithm that minimizes the antenna pattern in the direction of any detected multipath signals. This adaptive spatial processing minimizes the effect of multipath errors on the code and carrier tracking loops. Preliminary test results showing adaptive multipath beam-forming/nulling using a 7-element antenna array are also included.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 2001 National Technical Meeting of The Institute of Navigation January 22 - 24, 2001 Westin Long Beach Hotel Long Beach, CA
Pages:	335 - 343
Cite this article:	Brown, Alison, "High Accuracy GPS Performance using a Digital Adaptive Antenna Array," Proceedings of the 2001 National Technical Meeting of The Institute of Navigation, Long Beach, CA, January 2001, pp. 335-343.
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